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Brilliant products

As a cleaner for quite a variety of different clients, sometimes using the same all-round cleaning products like the Aldi ones (see my Pick and Mix review) aren't the best way to adhere to a client's needs- although Aldi's Power Force cleaning products are my preferred choice, some of my clients suffer from various ailments that don't always allow me to use chemical cleaning products. Even without this knowledge though, Method products are still a very close second in my preferred cleaning products list. The only reason i still prefer Power Force is because of the differences in price. For example, The Method Bathroom and shower cleaner can cost £4.99, whereas the Power Force Bathroom cleaner only costs 99p.

So what is Method? Method are a cleaning company that focus primarily on being green and good for the environment. As a result they try to make sure their products are free of harsh chemicals and even the packaging is completely recyclable, but still their products produce good results. As a result of this my clients with say severe asthma or very sensitive skin can enjoy quality cleaning without setting off their ailments. Each product that i use has a bit about the company and what they're about, but if you'd like to learn more about the company and their products before you buy the product the website is: www.methodhome.com or you can give them a ring on 020 7788 7904. Each product is certified cruelty free, and my favourite quote on the product is "designed and sourced responsibly from beginning to end to beginning again. That's good karma."

Method provide a variety of cleaning products that cover pretty much the entirety of your home cleaning needs. Most often i use the glass cleaner, shower and bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners, wood polish and the floor cleaner. Some of the things i have noticed about these products are that the bathroom/shower/glass cleaners all tend to smell of mint, the kitchen of citrus/oranges, and the wooden products of almonds- but all subtly so. Along with this the products tend to work better if you leave them for a bit before wiping them off, unlike the Power Force ones where you can pretty much wipe as you go. Quite often i have a tight schedule so you'd be surprised as to how much of a difference this makes when cleaning, but if you have the extra time to spare it's well worth it to gain an eco-friendly but stunning clean. All the products are packaged in very simple yet distinctive and stylish packaging, most often with trigger sprays or sports cap tops. Each product performs exceedingly well on their specific areas, and if you know your stuff, you can use the same product on other areas of the house to save you a bit of money.

Glass Cleaner: Has a clear plastic packaging complete with spray nozzle that allows you to clearly see the blue formula, though when sprayed the product appears on the glass as clear. Works well on windows, conservatory doors, shower units and on any glass furniture you may have. Also works exceedingly well on mirrors. This product has a fresh minty smell that doesn't really hit until you are wiping the product down. Most often i spray a generous amount over the glass surface, leave it for 3-5 minutes, then use a damp jay cloth to first wipe off the product, then i buffer the glass up with either a dry jay cloth or some kitchen towels. The result is shiny, clean glass that leaves no marks or streaks, and no harsh smells that you can get with some other glass cleaning products. (Pro tip- if you are short on cash, using old newspaper pages to wipe off this product also produces excellent results if you don't mind putting in a little extra elbow work.)

Shower and bathroom cleaner: Has pale blue opaque plastic packaging with a spray nozzle. When sprays the formula appears transparent. Works well on any ceramic surface, including sinks, toilet cisterns, bath tubs, shower units, wall and floor tiles (if you're willing to get on your hands and knees.) Like the glass cleaner has a very subtle minty smell that reminds one almost of peppermint tea or watered down chewing gum as i like to refer to it. Again, i spray a generous amount over the surface, leave for three to five minutes, wipe the product down first with a damp cloth, then often i buffer it all up with a small hand towel. If you have a rather large bathroom and want to really deep clean your tiles i would suggest spraying this product over 8-10 tiles at a time, leave them for five minutes before wiping them down then spraying the next 8-10. The result is fantastic and well worth taking your time over- though unfortunately doesn't work very well on grouting issues- for those i'd recommend either Dettol mould and mildew remover or Grot buster.

Kitchen Cleaner: Comes in clear plastic packaging that allows you to see the translucent orange formula it holds. Smells subtly of oranges and really wakes you up. Works well on all kitchen surfaces and in the oven, fridge and microwaves. This is the only product i've noticed actually leaves a subtle scent behind, but also works exceedingly well on things like grease and old food stains leaving clean, almost gleaming surfaces. Also works well on tough bathroom stains, but i wouldn't use this on tough glass stains as it can leave the glass quite streaky.

Wood Polish: Comes in an opaque brown bottle but interestingly enough also has a spray nozzle- the only polish i've ever used to do so. Works exceedingly well on any wooden surface leaving behind a subtle scent of almonds. Unlike most polishes i've used though is rubbish at polishing things like mirrors- i tried it on one small hanging mirror and it took me 15 minutes to get it back off again. This is also probably the only Method product i don't leave for a bit before wiping off for it gives the same excellent results on wooden surfaces either way.

Floor(all purpose) cleaner: Comes in a clear plastic bottle with a translucent yellow formula that also smells rather subtly of citrus. Also different from the other Method products as it has a sports cap nozzle. This product can be used neat because of this sports cap nozzle if you have only a small area to clean, (simply squeeze the product lightly over the area and mop it up with a slightly damp mop) or can be diluted in boiling water for larger areas. Works well on any floor, leaving non slippy and definitely clean floors- works particularly well on mud marks, shoe skid marks and spilled liquid stains.

All in all this is a product well worth having for it provides excellent results, is eco-friendly and is brilliant for those who suffer with particular ailments if you are willing to pay the rather extortionate price and time for it.

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see review

I am not a Domestic Goddess but I do like my house to be clean, however with young children I did not want to be storing lots of chemical cleaners and when on a trip to Tesco I came across the method range of cleaners I thought these might well be the answer.

What are they? Method are a green company who use sustainable and eco friendly methods they use natural fragrances and recycle bottles full details if you are interested can be found on their website www.methodproducts.co.uk .

Products Method stock a massive range of products from all purpose cleaners to special granite and wood cleaners to hand cleaners and baby products.

Scent

I particularly like the real smells the fragrances which smell clean and fresh and not like a chemical attack! I love the tub and tile cleaner which smells of eucalyptus mint when I have finished cleaning the Bathroom with this it smells like a spa and really makes me want to have a bath and best of all there are no harsh chemicals to irate my children's delicate skin.

Are they as Good? Defiantly all the products I have tried work really well and smell far nicer than the usual fake lemon of other cleaners and although I do like bleach in the traditional cleaners for the children's room and bathroom it must be method

Cost and Stockist For the full range see the website www.methodproducts.co.uk Method is also stocked in Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose the cost is about £3 per product I love the philopshopy the company has I like their descriptions see the one for Pink grapefruit all purpose cleaner No one holds their breath when slicing a grapefruit - we don't think you should have to when you clean either. And pink is a nice colour.

In Summary Great products at low cost which do not harm the environment and clean well could their be a revolution ?

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I have been using Method cleaning products for about 6 months now and I have to say that they are absolutely brilliant. They do a whole range of cleaning products, all of which are totally environmentally friendly and toxin free. Their products include: all purpose spray (in two varieties - french lavender and pink grapefruit), bathroom sprays (tub/tile cleaner and daily shower spray), flushable bathroom wipes, toilet bowl cleaner, floor cleaner and a variety of specialist cleaners (e.g. stainless steel, granite, marble). They also do a range of baby and children's bathing products. So far, I have only tried the all purpose spray, stainless steel cleaner and the floor cleaner (although I will definately try more of Method's products) so I will review the products I have tried.

*All Purpose Spray*I first bought this spray about 6 months ago when I found out that my son had asthma. I decided to switch to cleaning products containing less chemicals and this one stood out the most. Although it was a bit more pricey than my usual all purpose spray (Approx. £3 for 828ml), I was instantly attracted to the bright, modern bottle so I decided to try a bottle of the french lavender spray. I have to admit that I didn't think a cleaning product containing no chemicals would be as effective as other products but I was wrong. It cuts through spillages and marks really easily and it is gentle enough to use on all of my surfaces. It has a gorgeous smell which lasts long after the product has been used. I do not have to worry about my young children touching surfaces after they have been cleaned due to the fact that it is toxin free. Another advantage is that the bottle is completely recyclable so it is also environmentally friendly. Although this spray does cost slightly more than I would like, it is a big bottle and it lasts a long time. I would never use any other spray now and can't wait to try the pink grapefruit spray which is now stocked in my local Sainsburys.

*Touch Wood Floor Cleaner in Almond*After trying Method's all purpose spray and being so impressed, I decided to try their wood floor cleaner. I had high expectations for this cleaner and they were met and exceeded. The cleaner comes in a bottle with a shower-nozzle top and you squirt the product on your floor and then mop with clean water. The first thing I noticed about this product was the smell - it smells delicious, obviously of almonds. It doesn't have that nasty chemical spray you get with most floor cleaners and the smell lasts for ages. However, I like the smell of almonds, so you may not like it if you don't. Like the all purpose spray, the floor cleaner is quite expensive at around £4 for 739ml and I tend to find that it doesn't last as long as the spray. However I do have a lot of laminate flooring and with 2 kids and a dog, it needs cleaning daily. The other thing I would say about this floor cleaner is that it really is effective. It never leaves any smears and my laminate flooring always looks like new when it has dried. You can also get a special ergonomically designed mop to use with the cleaner but I haven't tried this yet because it costs around £25. Again, the bottle is fully recyclable.

*Method Stainless Steel Spray*My pet hate is fingerprints and smears on my stainless steel items so I had to try this spray. It comes in a small silver bottle and again is quite expensive at around £4 for 354ml. To use this product, you spray a bit onto a dry cloth, rub the item you are cleaning with the cloth, and then polish the item with a separate dry cloth. As with the other Method products, this cleaner is effective and it cleans away any smears. Also, when I have cleaned my stainless steel items with this spray, I find that they stay smearless for longer. It also has a lovely fresh smell. However, I do not buy this product as often as the others because it is expensive and I can often achieve the same results by spraying my steel items with the all purpose spray and then buffing with a dry cloth (although the smears do reappear sooner when I do this).

All in all I would say that the Method products are definately worth trying. They are safe for kids and pets as they are toxin free, and they are just as effective as any chemical cleaner. Also, I like the fact that the containers are fully recyclable. I will definately be trying more of Method's products :-).

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fab - buy it, buy it, buy it!!!

I must admit to having first bought the 'all surface cleaner' because it was in a pretty bottle, and would match my kitchen (yes, really!), however i was hooked as soon as i started using it! The smell is incredible, but most importantly it really does clean beautifully. A quick spray on dried-on food spills softens up even the nastiest of cooked-on grime from your hob, and i was delighted to note that it is quite probably the only thing i've found to do a proper deep clean on my daughters high chair... Which leads me to the other bonus of this product; because it is all natural, no nasties, no stinky chemicals i can wipe over things that my daughter will come into contact with, such as the highchair, and not have to be absolutely certain that i have rinsed off every last scrap of residue before she licks it / chews it / eats off it!

As a plus point, i can clean to my hearts content, without my asthmatic hubby telling me off : ) This goes for all the method products (am currently loving the tub and tile bathroom cleaner too, could wear it as perfume quite happily!!!!)

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A remarkable product with a halo to boot

During a visit to John Lewis a year ago I purchased a wondrous product called Method bathroom all surface cleaner and I have loved cleaning my bathroom ever since.

The packaging drew me in first with it's chunky transparent bottle and the heavy duty trigger action spray head as well as the gorgeous green liquid itself.

'People against dirty' are the firm behind method cleaning products and they are gods in my eyes. I am highly sensitive to all things in the cleaning department. But with this product I don't have to wear rubber gloves, I love the cucumber fragrance and it's amazingly powerful, so no heavy scrubbing for great lengths of time.

I spent about £3 on the bottle at the time - I don't actually remember because I bought the bottle before I became a reviewer, but I'll update the review when I buy another bottle. It's a whopping 828ml bottle so it lasts a lot longer than your average bathroom cleaner and because it is so powerful you need less of it.

It's totally awesome on the shower screen. Where you get a build up of soapy film, one spray, leave a minute and wipe and it's gone as if by magic. But you can use it everywhere: on the bath sink, taps, down your drain holes, around your toilet, on your countertops if you're posh enough to have a fitted bathroom and any fixtures such as toilet roll holders etc. The bottle says it's great on all surfaces but it obviously advises you to do a patch test first to make sure. Sound advice but I've had no problems on any surface in my bathroom. The tiles also look amazing when I've used this product and I'm on such higher moral ground because I'm not using bleach. It's non-toxic, biodegradable, derived from natural ingredients and has never been tested on animals. I'm an eco warrior no less!

Some of the ingredients on the bottle are unknowns to me such as 'protectants' and 'performance builder', maybe these are the secret to the power within the bottle. But like it says on the label: "Something tells us that printing that little secret on our bottle wouldn't be too smart."

A very smart method to clean your bathroom and a lifesaver for the allergics amongst us.

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Method cleaning products - an alternative way to clean your home

(Disclaimer: This review is about cleaning products, however I am no Anthea Turner - cleaning is not my reason for being, if Kim and Aggie came to my house they wouldn't be horrified but they wouldn't be giving me any medals either. I don't particulary like cleaning but I do like these products but my philosophy is "no one is going to go to the grave wishing they had spent more time dusting".)

Method cleaning products; if you check out their website http://www.methodproducts.co.uk/ they are pretty evangelical about cleaning in a humourous way and you might wonder why.

They sum themselves up as "people against dirt". The company was set up by two guys in San Francisco who were worried about the toxins in cleaning products apparently. The products have been available in this country since 2007.

A closer read of their website shows that all their products are made from vegetable derivatives not chemicals (no nasties) and not animal tested, but in these tough times they are certainly more expensive so are these good enough reasons to try their product?

I will mention prices with the actual products I have used and liked more or less.

I first bought these items from John Lewis, but they are also now available at Tesco and Waitrose on the High Street. Below is my individual experience - I haven't tried the whole range, and for reference I have put the current Tesco price, but occassionally they are on offer.

The Daily Granite: £4.06 - granite cleaner - excellentIn a former and more deluxe house I had granite worktops - pain to clean. This was the only thing I found that worked - it was excellent - pricey but I found a bottle lasted for about 6 months and it was really worth it as for once my work tops were smudge free.

Method Wood Polish spray £3.91 - this smells gorgeous, all almondy. There is no build up and it cleans really really well. The wood wipes (£3.43) have the same smell and are fantastic and last for a long time, knowing they are toxin free I have trained my children to use these with some degree of success!

Method Tub and Tile Spray 824ml £2.94 - not so sold on this one, smells lovely but not sure it cleans very very well.

Method Glass Cleaner £4.00 - this is beyond fantastic - my husband even commented how good it was. Stupidly with small children we have a mirrored console table (what WHERE we thinking?) and a glass table to eat on (d'oh). This works really really well and smells minty - which is nicer than it sounds. It seems pricey but the bottle (828ml) has lasted months, well worth it.

I have also used the stainless steel cleaner (£4.06) which is great, and the Method Wood Floor Cleaner (£3.91), which again seems pricey but you only need a tiny bit so it lasts longer than cheaper products in my opinion.

The bottles are really nicely designed and there are a few more things in the range I would like to try as they become available - especially the hand soap and foams for kids. Apparently they are moving towards recycled packaging and 75% off their products are made here.

I have written this review at the risk of looking like a real saddo cleaning freak - I 'm not - but I think they are actually really good products, so maybe this can help someone who wants to do cleaning quickly and get on to more interesting things!

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The wood floor cleaner was fantastic, and the multi surface cleaner as good as any!

I had some vouchers for Homebase and unusually was not in the middle of any decorating projects, so I decided to use them up on some cleaning products. The Method range caught my eye with their brightly coloured multi surface cleaners and the classy looking wood wipes package.

I purchased two bottles of the multi surface cleaner - one lavender and one pink grapefruit, one wood floor cleaner and one pack of wood wipes. They cost a little more than I normally would pay (generally I just buy what is on special offer, I'm not terribly brand loyal). I steered clear from the granite wipes as that just seemed a little extravagant.

The bottles were very attractive, and are totally recycled and recyclable which is a good thing. All the products are non-toxic and kind to the environment which I was pleased about although it did make me wonder if they would work as well (yes, that is a bit cynical).

First I tried the pink grapefruit multi-surface cleaner on my kitchen which has granite work surfaces and a ceramic sink. The product itself was a lovely light pink colour in the bottle and had a light fragrance which didn't leave much of a smell in the room although it certainly did feel fresher after use. I sprayed on, wiped over and buffed off and it cleaned up with no extra effort at all and didn't leave any residue which was good. I also tried it in my bathroom where it was equally effective on sinks and shower screens. You didn't need to use a lot and so one bottle lasted me ages.

Next I tried the wood wipes on my dining table which were in a plastic pack with a resealable top, like baby wipes. It did seem to nourish the wood although it did feel a bit wasteful to wipe and throw away and I did feel that, despite the kind to the environment claims, it must be kinder to use a reusable duster.

The wood floor cleaner I had bought as I thought it was the type that you add to hot water and mop on but you squirted it straight from the bottle onto the floor (I have sealed wood floor in most places). This meant that it didn't go very far but it did dry very quickly, noticeably nourish the wood and leave a gorgeous almond scent behind. I would recommend this as a 'treat' for your floor as it definitely made it look better but I would get through about 2 bottles a week (although we have two dogs and five kids constantly traipsing around so perhaps it would be more economical in a less messy house).

Finally, I tried the lavender multi-surface cleaner. The product is a lilac colour in the bottle and the scent, whilst not too lavender and over-powering does leave behind what I would describe as a pleasant musky overtone. I didn't think it was as effective as it left more of a residue behind than the pink grapefruit and the fragrance is definitely more noticeable after cleaning but if you like the smell, it is very serviceable.

Overall, I thought the range was lovely and it felt good to be using something with more natural fragrances as well as having the obvious feel-good factor of environmentally friendly credentials. I would defintely recommend the wood floor cleaner and the pink grapefruit multi surface cleaner as great purchases if you are looking to 'green up' your cleaning products.